- Tsinghua University launches the Hazem Ben-Gacem Arab Scholars Program, offering scholarships to up to 15 Arab League students annually for five years.
- The inaugural batch includes six postgraduates from Arab nations, marking the university’s first dedicated scholarship for Arab students.
- Funded by BlueFive Capital’s CEO Hazem Ben-Gacem, the initiative aims to foster Arab-China academic ties and cultural exchange through elite education.
The Hazem Ben-Gacem Arab Scholars Program officially opened at Tsinghua University in China on 26 June 2025. It is named after Hazem Ben-Gacem, chief executive and founder of BlueFive Capital, who is sponsoring the scholarship.
Th new scholarship scheme will fund up to 15 students annually for five years Undergraduate and Postgraduate Programmes at Tsinghua University, China, and is open to students from Arab League nations.
This year, the programme will fund six students from Arab League countries studying postgraduate courses at the ancient university. This scheme is believed to be the first scholarship created at Tsinghua University specifically for students from Arab countries.
One of China's best-ranked universities with a high level of reputation in technology and engineering, Tsinghua University claims to be frequently compared to MIT. Founded in 1911, Tsinghua University is comprised of 20 colleges and 90 undergraduate programs, allowing it to provide a vast range of scholarly subjects.
Said Ben-Gacem "For over a thousand years, the Arab world and China have been held together through a dynamic exchange of commodities, ideas, and cultural discussion. By providing outstanding Arab students the opportunity to study at Tsinghua, the apogee of Chinese academic achievement, we seek to build future leaders who will continue this ancient spirit of inquiry and cooperation, making the Arab-China relationship a shining example of cooperation in an increasingly fractured world".
Tsinghua University Council Vice Chancellor Professor Yang Bin conveyed the university's heartfelt thanks for Ben-Gacem's donation.
He said that over the past few years, Tsinghua has been carrying out a series of strategic steps to increase its global influence, with specific focus on furthering exchanges and cooperation with the member states of the Arab League, something that greatly promoted cultural exchanges between the two sides.
Professor Yang highlighted that this project will not only inspire the beneficiaries to strive for academic excellence but also be a significant turning point in deepening the friendship between Tsinghua and the Arab world.
